--- title: Pili and Noho — Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology) · full text with trees · page 2 description: Pili and Noho, «Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology)» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Hiiaka remembered that there were two dragons in the river Wailuku, a river of swift cascades and beautiful waterfalls near Hilo, so s --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/20/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mytholo…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/) / Pili and Noho # Pili and Noho · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/20/) **2** Pau-o-palae saw the danger.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") From her home on the island Hawaii, she saw the dragons shaking Hiiaka.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she sent her power and took many kinds of trees and struck the dragons.[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") The roots twisted around the dragons, entangling their feet and tails, and scratching eyes and faces.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") The dragons tried to shake off the branches and roots—the leaf bodies of the wilderness, and one let go the pa-u of Hiiaka, and the other let go the neck.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") Pau-o-palae called all the wind bodies of the forest and sent them to aid Hiiaka, the forces of the forest, and the wind spirits.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") At last Hiiaka turned to say farewell to Wahine-omao because the next fight with the dragons in their new bodies might prove fatal.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") The dragons were now stronger than before.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") They leaped upon her, one on each side.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") The strong winds blew and the storm poured upon her, while the dragons struck her to beat her down.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") But all kinds of ferns were leaping up rapidly around the place where the dragons renewed the fight.[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") The ferns twisted and twined around the legs and bodies of the dragons.[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka shook her magic skirt and struck them again and again, and the bodies of these dragons were broken in pieces.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the wind ceased, the storm passed away, and the sky became clear.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") But it was almost evening and darkness was falling fast.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") The natives have for many years claimed that Hiiaka found the time too short to climb the precipice, catch the ghost of Lohiau and carry it and the body down to the house prepared for her work, therefore she uttered this incantation:[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") “O gods\![141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") Come to Kauai, your land.[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") O pearl-eyed warrior (an idol) of Halawa\![143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") O Kona! guardian of our flesh\![144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") O the great gods of Hiiaka\![145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") Come, ascend, descend, Let the sun stop over the river of Hea.[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") Stand thou still, O sun!”[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") The sun waited and its light rested on the precipice and pierced the deep shadows of the cave in which the body lay while Hiiaka sought Lohiau.[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka heard the spirit voice saying, “Moving, moving, you will find me in a small coconut calabash fastened in tight.”[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka followed the spirit voice and soon saw a coconut closed up with feathers.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") Over the coconut a little rainbow was resting.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") She caught the coconut and went back to the body of Lohiau.[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") It had become very dark in the cave, but she did not care, this was as nothing to her.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") She took the bundle of the body of Lohiau and said: “We have the body and the spirit, we are ready now to go down to our house.”[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she called the spirits of the many kinds of ferns of Pau-o-palae to take the body down.[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") The fern servants of Pau-o-palae carried the bundle of the body down to the house.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka said to her friend: “You ask how the spirit can be restored into the body.[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") It is hard and mysterious and a work of the gods.[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") We must gather all kinds of ferns and maile and lehua and flowers from the mountains.[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") We must take wai-lua (flowing water) and wai-lani (rain) and put them into new calabashes to use in washing the body.[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") Then pray.[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") If my prayer is not broken \[interrupted or a mistake made\], he will be alive.[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") If the prayer is broken four times, life will not return.”[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") The servants of Pau-o-palae, the goddess of ferns, brought all manner of sweet-scented ferns, flowers, and leaves to make a bed for the body of Lohiau, and to place around the inside of the house as fragrant paths by which the gods could come to aid the restoration to life.[164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") There were many prayers, sometimes to one class of gods and sometimes to another.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") The following prayer was offered to the au-makuas, or ghost-gods, residing in cloud-land and revealing themselves in different cloud forms:[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") “Dark is the prayer rising up to Kanaloa, Rising up to the ancient home Kealohilani.[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") Look at the kupuas above sunset\![168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") Who are the kupuas above?[169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") The black dog of the heavens, The yellow dog of Ku in the small cloud, Ku is in the long cloud, Ku is in the short cloud, Ku is in the cloud of red spots in the sky.[170](../../170/ "tree and pragmatics") Listen to the people of the mountains, The friends of the forest, The voices of the heavens.[171](../../171/ "tree and pragmatics") The water of life runs, life is coming, Open with trembling, to let the spirit in, A noise rumbling, The sound of Ku.[172](../../172/ "tree and pragmatics") The lover sent for is coming.[173](../../173/ "tree and pragmatics") I, Hiiaka, am coming.[174](../../174/ "tree and pragmatics") The lover of my sister Pele, The sister of life, Is coming to life again.[175](../../175/ "tree and pragmatics") Live, Live.”[176](../../176/ "tree and pragmatics") After each one of the prayers and incantations the body was washed in the kind of water needed for each special ceremony.[177](../../177/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus days passed by; some legends say ten days, some say a full month.[178](../../178/ "tree and pragmatics") At last the body was ready for the incoming of the spirit.[179](../../179/ "tree and pragmatics") The coconut shell in which the spirit had been kept was held against the body, the feet and limbs were slapped, and the body rubbed by Wahine-omao while Hiiaka continued her necessary incantations until the restoration to life was complete.[180](../../180/ "tree and pragmatics") Many, many days had passed since the fiery and impetuous Pele had sent her youngest sister after the lover Lohiau.[181](../../181/ "tree and pragmatics") In her restlessness Pele had torn up the land in all directions around the pit of fire with violent earthquakes.[182](../../182/ "tree and pragmatics") She had poured her wrath in burning floods of lava over all the southern part of the island.[183](../../183/ "tree and pragmatics") She had broken her most solemn promise to Hiiaka.[184](../../184/ "tree and pragmatics") Whenever she became impatient at the delay of the coming of Lohiau, she would fling her scorching smoke and foul gas over Hiiaka’s beautiful forests—and sometimes would smite the land with an overflow of burning lava.[185](../../185/ "tree and pragmatics") Sometimes she would look down over that part of Puna where Hopoe dwelt and hurl spurts of lava toward her home.[186](../../186/ "tree and pragmatics") At last she had yielded to her jealous rage and destroyed Hopoe and her home and then burned the loved spots of restful beauty belonging to Hiiaka.[187](../../187/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka had seen Pele’s action as she had looked back from time to time on her journey to Kauai.[188](../../188/ "tree and pragmatics") Even while she was bringing Lohiau back to life, her love for her own home revealed to her the fires kindled by Pele, and she chanted many songs of complaint against her unfaithful sister.[189](../../189/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka loyally fulfilled her oath until she stood with Lohiau on one of the high banks overlooking Ka-lua-Pele, the pit of Pele in the volcano Kilauea.[190](../../190/ "tree and pragmatics") Down below in the awful majesty of fire were the sisters.[191](../../191/ "tree and pragmatics") Wahine-omao went down to them as a messenger from Hiiaka.[192](../../192/ "tree and pragmatics") One of the legends says that Pele killed her; another says that she was repulsed and driven away; others say that Pele refused to listen to any report of the journey to Kauai and hurled Wahine-omao senseless into a hole near the fire-pit, and raved against Hiiaka for the long time required in bringing Lohiau.[193](../../193/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka at last broke out in fierce rebellion against Pele.[194](../../194/ "tree and pragmatics") On the hill where they stood were some of the lehua trees with their brilliant red blossoms.[195](../../195/ "tree and pragmatics") She plucked the flowers, made wreaths, and going close to Lohiau hung them around his neck.[196](../../196/ "tree and pragmatics") All through the long journey to the crater Lohiau had been gaining a full appreciation of the bravery, the unselfishness, and the wholly lovable character of Hiiaka.[197](../../197/ "tree and pragmatics") He had proposed frequently that they be husband and wife.[198](../../198/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, as they stood on the brink of the crater with all the proof of Pele’s oath-breaking around them Hiiaka gave way entirely.[199](../../199/ "tree and pragmatics") She chanted while she fastened the flowers tightly around him and while her arms were playing around his neck:[200](../../200/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hiiaka is the wife.[201](../../201/ "tree and pragmatics") Caught in the embrace with the flowers.[202](../../202/ "tree and pragmatics") The slender thread is fast.[203](../../203/ "tree and pragmatics") Around him the leis from the land of the lehuas are fastened.[204](../../204/ "tree and pragmatics") I am the wife—The clouds are blown down Hiding the sea at Hilo.”[205](../../205/ "tree and pragmatics") Lohiau had no longer any remnant of affection for Pele.[206](../../206/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka had fulfilled her vow and Pele had broken all her promises.[207](../../207/ "tree and pragmatics") Lohiau and Hiiaka were now husband and wife.[208](../../208/ "tree and pragmatics") Pele had lost forever her husband of the long sleep.[209](../../209/ "tree and pragmatics") Pele was uncontrollable in her jealous rage.[210](../../210/ "tree and pragmatics") One of the legends says that even while Lohiau and Hiiaka were embracing each other Pele ran up the hill and threw her arms around his feet and black lava congealed over them.[211](../../211/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she caught his knees and then his body.[212](../../212/ "tree and pragmatics") Lava followed every clasp of the arms of Pele, until at last his whole body was engulfed in a lava flow.[213](../../213/ "tree and pragmatics") His spirit leaped from the body into some clumps of trees and ferns not far away.[214](../../214/ "tree and pragmatics") Another legend says that Pele sent her brother Lono-makua, with his helpers, to kindle eruptions around Lohiau and Hiiaka.[215](../../215/ "tree and pragmatics") This could not harm Hiiaka, for she was at home in the worst violence of volcanic flames, but it meant death to Lohiau.[216](../../216/ "tree and pragmatics") Lono-makua kindled fires all around Lohiau, but for a long time refrained from attacking him.[217](../../217/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka could not see the pit as clearly as Lohiau, so she asked if Pele’s fires were coming.[218](../../218/ "tree and pragmatics") He chanted:[219](../../219/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hot is this mountain of the priest.[220](../../220/ "tree and pragmatics") Rain is weeping on the awa.[221](../../221/ "tree and pragmatics") I look over the rim of the crater.[222](../../222/ "tree and pragmatics") Roughly tossing is the lava below.[223](../../223/ "tree and pragmatics") Coming up to the forest— Attacking the trees— Clouds of smoke from the crater.”[224](../../224/ "tree and pragmatics") The lava came up, surrounding them.[225](../../225/ "tree and pragmatics") Tossing fountains of lava bespattered them.[226](../../226/ "tree and pragmatics") Wherever any spot of his body was touched Lohiau became stone.[227](../../227/ "tree and pragmatics") He uttered incantations and used all his powers as a sorcerer-chief.[228](../../228/ "tree and pragmatics") The lava found it difficult to overwhelm him.[229](../../229/ "tree and pragmatics") Pele sent increased floods of burning rock upon him.[230](../../230/ "tree and pragmatics") Lohiau’s body was all turned to stone.[231](../../231/ "tree and pragmatics") His spirit fled from the pit to the cool places of a forest on a higher part of the surrounding mountains.[232](../../232/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka was crazed by the death of Lohiau.[233](../../233/ "tree and pragmatics") She had fought against the eruption; now she caught the lava, tore it to pieces, and broke down the walls toward the innermost depths of their lava home.[234](../../234/ "tree and pragmatics") She began to open the pit for the coming of the sea.[235](../../235/ "tree and pragmatics") Pele and her sisters were frightened.[236](../../236/ "tree and pragmatics") Pele called Wahine-omao from her prison and listened to the story of Hiiaka’s faithfulness.[237](../../237/ "tree and pragmatics") Chagrined and full of self-blame, she told Wahine-omao how to restore happiness to her friend.[238](../../238/ "tree and pragmatics") Wahine-omao went to Hiiaka and softly chanted by the side of the crazy one who was breaking up the pit.[239](../../239/ "tree and pragmatics") She told the story of the journey after Lohiau and the possibility of seeking the wandering ghost.[240](../../240/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka turned from the pit and sought Lohiau.[241](../../241/ "tree and pragmatics") Many were the adventures in ghost-land.[242](../../242/ "tree and pragmatics") At last the ghost was found.[243](../../243/ "tree and pragmatics") Lohiau’s body was freed from the crust of lava and healed and the ghost put back in its former home.[244](../../244/ "tree and pragmatics") A second time Hiiaka had given life to Lohiau.[245](../../245/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka and Lohiau went to Kauai, where, as chief and chiefess, they lived happily until real death came to Lohiau.[246](../../246/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Hiiaka returned to her place in the Pele family.[247](../../247/ "tree and pragmatics") It was said that Wahine-omao became the wife of Lono-makua, the one kindling volcanic fire.[248](../../248/ "tree and pragmatics") XVIII[249](../../249/ "tree and pragmatics") 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